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So you want to work remotely? Best practices
for success with distant teams.
CSC6, February 13, 2019
Michael Palone, R.Ph, MPH, VP, Project Realization, Swisslog Healthcare
Dr. Joseph L. Ronzio, Deputy CHTO, Veterans Health Administration
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Michael Palone, R.Ph., MPH
Joseph L. Ronzio, DHSc, MBA, CPHIMS
Has no real or apparent conflicts of interest to report.
Conflict of Interest
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• Learning Objectives
• Work Environments
• Remote Environments
• Successful Remote Employee Traits
• Best Management Practices
• Personal Experiences
Agenda
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• Describe the key differences between a traditional
work environment and that of a remote, home-office
based environment
• Discuss the characteristics, qualities and personal
attributed to be a successful remote employee
• Identify best practices for managing remote teams
Learning Objectives
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Work Environments
About computers:
“They will make it possible to live really anywhere we like. Any
businessman, any executive, could live almost anywhere on
Earth and still do his business through a device like this.”
“It means we won’t be stuck in cities. We’ll live out in the
country or wherever we please and still carry on complete
interactions with other human beings as well as computers.”
Predicting the Future in 1974
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008), Science Fiction Writer
• Consider “work/life integration” as an alternative way of
thinking about “work/life balance”.
• Working remotely, moving work around on dimensions of
time and space is not only possible, but has become the
norm.
• Flexibility is important to today’s workforce.
Work/Life Integration
Vanderkam, Laura. Work/Life Integration Is the New Normal
Fortune. March 15, 2015, Vol. 171 Issue 4, p139-139
Time diary study of, 001 days in the lives of high-earning
women and their families.
• 75% of time logs showed something personal during
traditional work hours: exercise, school visits.
• 77% showed work outside the workday norm.
• Women took calls after their kids went to bed- they wrote
reports on weekends.
Work/Life Integration
Vanderkam, Laura. Work/Life Integration Is the New Normal
Fortune. March 15, 2015, Vol. 171 Issue 4, p139-139
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• Traditional work environment
• Everyone in one place during key hours of the
work day
• Space granted based on hierarchy or
organizational plan
• Community supplies and facilities
• Personal technology may be issued
Work Environments
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• Remote work environment
• People can be anywhere and may work varied
hours
• Home office, Starbucks, on-demand office space,
etc.
• Supply and technology access varies
Work Environments
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• Things to consider for medical staff who telework
• Consider information being exchanged and
appropriate requirements (HIPAA is a factor)
• Consider your presentation - distractions to your
team or customers
Work Environments
When asked why the prospect of working remotely is desirable:
• 76% - Fewer interruptions from colleagues
• 69% - To avoid meetings
• 68% - Avoiding office politics
81% of respondents said that the ability to work from home would make them feel
more loyal to their employers.
Where Do Workers Feel Most
Productive??
Where Do Workers Feel Most
Productive?
When asked where they would most like to work:
• 51% of respondents said they would work most effectively at home.
• How important is this option?
– 29% said they would be willing to take a 10% to 20% pay cut for the
privilege
– 22% said they would be willing to forfeit vacation time
– 15% said they would give up employer-matching programs for their
retirement contributions
Where Do Workers Feel Most Productive? (Hint: It's Not In The Office).
Strauss, Karsten, Forbes.com. August 30, 2016, p1.
• A recent Gallup poll found that 43% of employed Americans now
work remotely at least some of the time—with nearly one-third of
them working remotely four days a week or more.
• Research from Cornell University finds that remote workers are at
greater risk for feeling personally and professionally isolated
than their in-office colleagues.
Is Working Remotely Bad for Your
Health?
Is Working Remotely Bad for Your Health? By: Heid, Markham, Time.com, July 9,2018
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1. They Value Results Over Process
2. They’re Self-Starters
3. They Can Successfully Complete a Test Project
4. They’re Punctual and Responsive
5. They’re Motivated By Something Larger Than
Themselves
Successful Remote Employee Traits
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6. They’re Natural Problem Solvers
7. They’re Detail Oriented and Can Track Their KPIs
8. They Possess a Strong Technical Aptitude
9. They’ve Worked On a Remote Team Before
10. They Have a Growth Mindset
Successful Remote Employee Traits
https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2018/02/06/10-traits-to-look-for-when-hiring-a-remote-
employee/#7923830f63df
Conference Call Etiquette
1. Mute, please mute (and know when to unmute)
2. No pets allowed
3. Silence your cell phone, please
4. Click, Clack, Moo (keep your microphone away from your keyboard)
5. Assume someone else is listening
6. Pause so others have a chance to comment
7. Avoid multi-tasking (I’m sorry, could you repeat the question)
8. Get the technical details right (good headset, etc.)
Oh, The Horrors
A Conference Call in Real Life – over 1.5 million views
Management Best Practices
Managing remote teams (and your remote boss)
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1. Set Clear Expectations
2. Treat Remote as Local
3. Engage Regularly
4. Schedule Video Based Coaching
5. Trust Your Team
6. Make It Feel Inclusive
7. Filter for Mission, Value, Outcomes and Roles
8. Have Reliable Tools First
Management Best Practices
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9. Stay Focused on Goals Not Activity
10. Be Intentional
11. Create a Communication Strategy
12. Avoid Multi-Tasking
13. Connect Their Goals with Yours
14. Use Technology to Build Community
15. Establish Close Bonds, Help and Support
Frequently
Management Best Practices
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/05/30/top-15-tips-to-effectively-manage-
remote-employees/#65ba1d65503c
• Hire the right people- select remote team members that can
deliver technically while working independently.
• Value competency and ability to deliver over where they are
physically located.
• Recognize that some leaders and positions need to be physically
located at an office or headquarters. Offer flexibility to have
some remote work days.
• Top talent working remotely can alleviate the challenge of finding
great people in areas where competition for good talent is high
(or impossible).
• All of the challenges of identifying and hiring talented team
members applies to remote workers- only more so.
Hire the Right People
What 20 Years as a Remote Organization Has Taught Us About Managing Remote Teams.
Street, Wang, and Tetali, Harvard Business Review Digital Articles. 2/20/2017, p2-4. 3p.
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• Implementing telework options for medical professionals
• Technology requirements
• Employee perspectives
• Management perspectives
• Customer perspectives
Personal Experiences
